Keep The Old
by lakerie
Summary: AU: Blair’s adventures as a college student continue.  This time it’s a research trip to the Nevada desert. There is also a crossover character from preStargate.
1. Chapter 1

Keep the Old (The continuing journey of Make New Friends)

Summary: Blair's adventures as a college student continue. This time it's a research trip to the Nevada desert. (There is also a crossover character from pre-Stargate.)

Warning: A few minor cuss words.

Disclaimer: The Sentinel is property of Pet Fly and Paramount. This story was written for enjoyment purposes only.

Author's Notes: Arianna was my beta years ago and she gave me much needed encouragement and direction. Under her tutelage my early stories made it to the web. Thank you! I've updated again since then.

**Keep The Old**

**Part 1**

Stephen Ellison quietly stood in the doorway of Omega Chi's newest member, Blair Sandburg, observing his young friend talking to himself while finishing the final draft of yet another term paper. A small smile tugged at the senior's face as he witnessed a page ripped in disgust from the typewriter, rumpled into a tight ball, and tossed blindly over the kid's shoulder. How it successfully rimmed the wastebasket then tipped inside with what appeared to be many other discarded pages was a miracle.

"Two points!" Stephen shouted as he launched himself into the room.

Startled, Blair quickly swung around on his seat, almost slipping off the vinyl padding, his hand gripping the loose flannel over his chest. "Ell, don't do that to me, man! Geez, give a guy a heart attack."

With a grin that showed not an ounce of sincerity, the older student merely shrugged, "Sorry, kid, didn't mean to scare you."

Blair wasn't falling for it. "Anyone ever tell you, you walk like a cat? I didn't even hear you come in."

Stephen's blue eyes sparkled with mischief and he shook his head 'no' while waving the cordless in the air. "Phone call."

The handset was held high out of his reach but the youth made a grab for it while attempting to shove his friend out of the room so that he could close the door.

It stopped with an abrupt thud, Stephen's foot propped against the bottom. "Uh, uh, uh..."

Both young men grinned, neither about to give in first until Tony's loud voice broke the standoff with a loud boom up the staircase, "Hey, Steve, hurry up and give Burg the phone."

Raising one eyebrow, Blair held out his hand in triumph when the receiver was slapped into the open palm.

"You win this time, Sandburg, only because I have to finish beating T at Nine Ball."

A loud roar of protests followed from below by the participants around the pool table when Stephen rejoined the game.

Blair leaned against the doorframe, letting the noise soothe his soul like a healing balm, before closing the door and settling on the one cleared spot on his bed. "Hello."

"_Hey, Blair-man, long time, no see."_

Instantly recognizing the male voice, Blair was delighted to hear from his childhood friend. "Jody, is that you? How's it going?"

"_Great, just great. Hooked up with my mom last week, who just happened to traveling with your mom, and Naomi told me that you finally picked your major. Anthropology, huh? Can't imagine why I never saw that one coming."_

Both friends laughed aloud.

"Yeah, I'm settled in here. Took me a while to find my rhythm, though. How about you? What's new in Nevada?"

"_Well, that's the reason I'm calling, bud. I've come across something you have just got to see."_

The excitement in his friend's voice had Blair shoving several large texts to the floor before he stretched out to get more comfortable. "What could you possibly have that I would want to leave my cold and wet home for?"

A chuckle filled the line. "_Still hating the rain, huh? Remember the time we went up to Tahoe and got caught spying on the McHenry sisters in the middle of a thunderstorm?"_

"You know, thanks for bringing that up. I haven't had to think about that particular moment of humiliation in almost a year. Not only did we get caught by Old Man McHenry, but as an added bonus, we both ended up with pneumonia." He shuddered at the memory and listened to Jody's snort on the opposite end. "Naomi was plastering me with those reeking poultices for a week."

"_At least your mom didn't sit you down with a Grey's Anatomy book and give you 'the talk' for four hours."_

"I take it, you've recovered?"

"_Watching Alicia and Tawnee get ready for bed that night was so worth it. And now that I'm at LVU, the mystery of women has become even more of a delight to study."_

A warm smile lit up Blair's eyes as he scrunched a pillow behind his head. At the mention of the twin co-eds, he realized it might not have been as bad as he remembered. "Not to change the subject, but what do you have that I need to see?"

"_Well, I was thinking about that old book the other day, the one you used to always carry around in your bag about tribal watchmen."_

"Yeah," Blair sat up, his forgotten pillow falling to the floor.

"_My professor of archeology, Dr. Pritchard, took us to this new site that's being excavated over by Lake Meade. It appears to be an old burial ground of some sort, although there are no markings of any specific tribe. We've carbon dated a bone fragment from some skeletal remains and it's come up at least fifteen hundred years old. I'm not sure, but I think this site might belong to one of your watchman guys."_

"Holy, crap, Jo, what else did you find? What makes you thing it's a Sentinel? How many bodies are there?" Jumping off the bed, Blair began pacing his room. "We've got to come up with a way for me to see this site!" "

"_Geez, Blair, take a breath, dude. See, here's where you come in. I told Doc Pritchard about my brainy anthro friend who'd love to come down here and give us a hand as he knows all about the watchman myth and stuff."_

The pacing stopped. "But, LVU already has an anthro department."

"_This is the sweet part, Blair. Pritchard hates the head of our anthro department and would rather the guy didn't get involved in our little project."_

"No way?" Disbelief filled the line.

Laughter returned. _"What do you say, Blair, you and me, together again?"_

"You are the best, man! Are you working the site now, because I've got classes? There's just no way I can leave with finals next week."

Jody was quiet a moment. _"You have a semester break after finals, right?"_

"Yeah, but that's running into Christmas."

"_Like you and your mom are going to be getting together for the holidays," _Jody snorted. _"She told me she was on her way to Miami to protest in some Cuban rally."_

Blair remained quiet as he sorted out his possibilities. "Can I bring a few friends?"

"_How many is a few?"_

"Just some of the guys from the house. One's in the anthro program with me," he quickly added.

"_Hey, if your friends want to come along and help work the site, I'll clear it with Pritchard. Just remember, we're not there to party."_

Silence filled the line and Jody suddenly wondered if he'd been hung up on. _"Blair?"_

"Don't worry, Jo, I don't party," his old friend replied quietly.

"_You okay, bud?"_

Blair cleared his throat. "Yeah, just a lot to think about. Can I call you back tomorrow after I talk to some of the guys?"

"_Sure, I'll be waiting to hear from you. This is going to be great, Blair. You and me together again. I'll be just like old times."_

"Yeah, great."

Silence filled the line again.

"_Blair?"_

"Sorry Jo, just thinking."

"_Blair, we've been friends ever since your skinny butt got bumped up into my fourth grade class with Mrs. Blinko. You know you can tell me anything, right? Are you okay?"_

"Yeah, I'm fine. There's just a lot going on right now and I'm still processing college in general. Getting away for a few weeks would be great."

"_Excellent. Bring your new buddies, 'cause I've got a few stories to share."_

"Then again, Jo…"

His friend's laughter filled the line one last time as they said their goodbyes.

oOo

Later that evening, Blair shared the news of his impending trip with the rest of the housemates, and several piped in that they would love to join him after Christmas. Next thing he knew, Craig, a geology major, appeared with a topographical map of the Lake Meade area. The young men all gathered around trying to figure out where this mysterious burial ground might be located. It wasn't until the group had finally broken up and returned to their studies, that Blair noticed the absence of Stephen. His new friend had been there, encouraging him in the beginning of the discussion and now was nowhere to be seen.

"Blair?" Mrs. Applegate tapped him softly on the arm to get his attention.

"Mrs. A?"

"It's a beautiful night. Why don't you go out for some fresh air?"

He frowned, looking out the window at the fluffy white flakes falling from the sky and shivered. "I don't know. It looks kinda cold out."

The older lady smiled and shrugged, her hands suddenly holding out his coat.

Not quite sure what the housemother was up to, he slipped on his parka and grudgingly accepted the scarf she wrapped around his neck. Once to the front door, he was stopped when she again placed her small hand on his arm.

"Back door, dear." A second jacket was placed in his gloved hands, she then gestured out the door,"Oh, Blair, would you please give this to Stephen if you should see him?"

oOo

Outside was a peaceful wonderland and Blair paused to take in the stillness before trying to figure out where his friend had disappeared off to. The soft falling snow cascaded lazily through the air, creating a white blanket over the ground, only disturbed by one set of footprints. Since tracking was definitely not one of one of his fortes, he sent a silent thank you upwards and began to follow the trail.

The subtle reflection of the city lights cast a warm glow on the starless night and Blair spotted a figure leaning against a tree at the edge of the property. Not wanting to intrude, he quietly cleared his throat.

Stephen's breath of warm air slowly clouded the frigid night in a resigned sigh. "Do you think it snows in Peru, Blair?"

Blair looked to the sky, the nearby mountains lost behind the weather. Large flakes clung to his lashes. "Up in the higher elevations, probably."

"I wonder if Jim can see the snow."

"I don't know, Stephen. I think its summer in that part of the world, right now."

"He's alive. I know it as if I could feel him standing next to me instead of you."

Both men remained silent, studying the night.

"Then he'll come back."

Shining blue eyes filled with uncertainty turned and met Blair's steady gaze. "When?"

Holding out the coat, the teen shook his head, "I don't know."

Stephen smiled his thanks as he pulled the down filled garment on. "I only came out for a moment. Didn't think it'd be this cold."

Both men once again stood quietly, watching the snowfall. A break in the clouds allowed the moon's silver light to spill over and affirm the moment.

"Blair?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Not quite sure for what, he glanced to Stephen. "For what?"

"For sharing your trip. During break Dad's going to be in Europe and Sally's visiting her family. It'd be kind of quiet over the holidays."

Blair grinned and tugged on the older student's arm. "Hey, we need a business major on this site. What if we find out the guy's rich and suddenly has relatives popping out of the desert?"

Stephen shook his head in disbelief and then finally had to chuckle, "For someone so smart, you're an idiot."

With an arm across the shoulder, Blair steered Stephen back towards the warmth of the house. "I try, man."

oOoOo

The flight to Las Vegas was more than comfortable, courtesy of first class tickets via William Ellison. Stephen's dad had been delighted to discover that his youngest son wasn't going to be alone, left to dwell over his missing brother. It'd been unfortunate that a business meeting called him away to Europe, so whatever he could do to make Stephen happy and occupied, was well worth any price.

And if the guys happened to take advantage of his generosity, they were careful not to go overboard. A quick trip to the rental car counter to pick up the keys for their vehicle, they were just in time to catch the first load off the luggage carousel. Exiting the terminal, they both stopped and stared at the shining, fully loaded, fire engine red, Cherokee Sport waiting for them.

"Nice," they breathed simultaneously.

"Stephen, did I mention that you're dad can adopt me?"

"The old man did out do himself this time, didn't he?"

As Stephen merged into the bustling traffic, Blair shook his head. "Ell, I can't wait to see what your dad has in store for us to stay at. "

oOo

Las Vegas turned out to be a city under construction and Stephen got lost twice while trying to follow Sally's neatly printed directions. The two newcomers gawked at the large casinos that lay in rubble after being demolished so that bigger and better delights could be built. And, even though it was the holidays, thousands of people filled the strip, taking their chance with Lady Luck or just enjoying the sights.

"What do you think, Blair, want to move back?"

"You know, there might not be any snow or much rain, but I just can't get comfortable with all of this," he motioned out the window, "going on around me."

"How long did you and your mom live here? It had to have been for a while if you hooked up with Jody."

"Actually we stayed a couple years while I was in grade school and then we came back again while I was finishing my junior year. Jody and I would swap summers when our moms moved around so that we could still hang out together in-between. What about you, ever been here before?"

Stephen's faraway smile slipped. "Yeah, this past summer for my twenty-first birthday, Jim and I flew down for the weekend and experienced the night life."

"Wasn't he in the army? How'd he get away?"

"He was on leave." Looking out the window, Stephen paused, "That was the last time I saw him."

Blair grimaced inwardly, watching his new friend, "I'm sorry, Steve. You know, if being here is going to be hard on you, you don't have to stay. I can find Jody and hang out with him."

That earned him a cuff to the loose curls. "Hah, you're not getting rid of me that easy. I want to be here. Besides, who's going to keep you two out of trouble?"

Ducking out of reach when a second swat was aimed his way, Blair grinned, "Hey, don't mess the hair, man. And who said anything about getting into trouble?"

Pulling over to the curb, Stephen nodded towards a tan young man with a bunch of brightly colored balloons; he was wearing an LVU sweatshirt and leaning against a blue common mailbox. "I take it that's Jody?"

Blair was out of the Jeep before Stephen had even come to a complete stop and happily grabbed his childhood friend. "What's with the balloons?"

The newcomer looked thoughtful for a moment, his brown eyes filled with mischief. "Are you suggesting I should have worn my tranny outfit instead?"

"Oh, man, don't even go there. I saw that outfit. Even a real transvestite wouldn't be caught dead looking like you did."

Stephen raised a brow to Blair while mouthing 'transvestite'.

"It was for Halloween our senior year. Don't worry, the principal made Jody go home and change." Rolling his eyes, Blair waved between his friends, "Stephen Ellison, I'd like to introduce Jody Fennick. Jody, Stephen."

Introductions completed, they all pitched in to load Jody's gear in to the back of the Jeep. When the newest member of the group made a move to climb in with the balloons, Stephen cleared his throat and shot a 'not gonna happen' look to Blair.

"Hey, Jo, how about you lose the balloons?"

A fake pout crossed the mischievous face, "Ah, man, Blair, they're friends of mine."

"Jo?"

"What?"

"Women watching right behind you on the sidewalk. I bet they'd take the balloons."

"You guys never would have found me without these, but, then again, chicks love colorful things." Heading for the young women, he bowed and presented the bunch, "For you, lovely ladies." The receptive bright smiles and one phone number had the guys talking for at least fifteen minutes once back underway.

oOo

The two 'old' friends talked non-stop and Stephen just listened while navigating through the busy city streets to the slower paced suburbs. Apparently Jody's mom had joined Naomi for the holidays after she found out about the 'boys' plans to work the dig. Now with all parental restraints gone, they were ready for some fun. Stopping outside a gated community that bordered the desert and a country club golf course, Stephen had to show his ID before allowed to enter.

"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Ellison," the guard said as he pushed the release button and stood back to watch the gates swing inward.

Blair and Jody both stopped talking at the same time as they made their way through the community filled with houses that looked as though they belonged to movie stars.

When Stephen brought the Jeep to stop on the paved stone driveway of an exquisite white brick mansion, the teens stumbled out to stare in admiration.

A matching stone pathway weaved through a garden of lush green vegetation decorated with stunning reddish orange flowers to the front door. An ornate fountain bubbled quietly in the center of the garden, and when the boys looked in the water, small fish could be seen swimming lazily in the cool shadows.

"Last one inside carries the luggage," Stephen challenged as he bolted up the steps to the front door. Quickly inserting the key, he burst through the door first, only to stop in his tracks and then be knocked over by the other two rushing in behind him.

"Oh, wow," Jody breathed, walking carefully through the massive room built around a huge stone fireplace.

White oak bookcases lined one wall while the other was covered with paintings of the surrounding mountains. Artifacts and antiques decorated the room in such a manner that although clearly expensive, they did not appear gaudy but rather well thought out to their placement.

Blair watched Stephen walk quietly through the room. "Have you been here before?"

"No, this is corporate owned."

Jody poked his head out from behind the refrigerator door, popping the top open on a Pepsi, "Do you think there's a pool?"

"Oh, yeah," Blair nodded. From his position beside the large French doors overlooking the back yard he had a clear view of the available activities outside. "Check this out."

By the time the three young men finished exploring the house and its grounds, and unloading their gear, they were ready for a cool dip in the pool. Followed by a late dinner in the city, they finally were able to relax in the main room in front of the fire with a hockey game.

oOo

"…so then Blair's standing there, dripping wet, and old man McHenry's pointing a shotgun at him. I thought you were going to wet your pants, man! Then again, we were so wet, maybe you did!" Jody doubled over in laughter, regaling Stephen with another of the teen's adventures.

"I did not wet my pants!"

Stephen's eyes were wet from tears. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so hard. "What did I tell you about trouble?"

Holding hands up in mock resignation, Blair shrugged, "I refuse to say anything for fear of incriminating myself. If you're done with the stories, Jo, pass me some more pizza."

Stephen snagged a pepperoni covered piece when the box went by, "You know I never imagined you could get pizza delivered on Christmas Eve."

Jody grinned as he popped yet another soda open beside Blair's head. "Steve, buddy, this is Vegas." Waggling his eyebrows, he continued, "We could get anything we wanted delivered here, twenty-four/seven." Knocking Blair's feet off the couch, he grabbed the last piece of pizza and sat down on the empty cushion. "Hey, you guys didn't tell me when the rest of your friends are coming."

"Turns out Tony's the only other guy able to come and he's going to be here on the 28th and plans on staying until the 9th of January. That gives us two weeks to work the site."

"That's okay, Blair. Most of the students on the team went home for the holidays and won't be back until the start of next semester. That's why Dr. Pritchard gave me full access to the site over break. He was pretty impressed with the letter you sent explaining about your search for anything pertaining to Sentinels."

Stephen watched color spread across Blair's face. Yeah, this was just the thing the kid needed to forget about what happened in Cascade. "You know, guys, we've done nothing but lay around since we got here yesterday. What do you say we head over to Lake Meade and take a look around?"

"Cool."

"Sounds great."

Jody stood up and went to stare out the window at the surrounding desert, before grinning at Blair and Stephen. "Hey, did I tell you there's a mobile work station at the site with a generator? We could stay, if you guys aren't afraid of being out in the desert overnight." A decorative pillow flew through the air, hitting him solidly on the side of the head. Before he could fire it back Stephen was at his side and plucked it free from behind him.

Blair tried to look innocent. "Jo, we've spent so much time out there while growing up, what would I be afraid of?"

"Well, you are a northern city-slicker. I didn't know if you could still handle the great outdoors."

Next thing Stephen knew, Blair and Jody were wrestling on the floor. Deciding that it was time for him to take charge of the situation, he reached down and caught both young men by the scruff of their necks, separating the laughing friends. "Any chance we're going today, guys?"

oOo

Almost three hours later, they found themselves along the northwestern shoreline of Lake Meade. An awe inspiring view lay before them of the desert painted in hues of orange and purple, reflected in the water's calm surface.

"It's hard to believe its Christmas Eve," Jody quietly commented.

Blair couldn't resist a smirk, "Yeah, and if we spot a pregnant lady on a donkey, or a multitude of angles, or-"

"I think I saw some sheep earlier," a quiet masculine voice spoke up from behind the three.

The startled friends spun around to find a man not much older than them standing with his arms folded over his chest, a pair of sunglasses sitting precariously low on the edge of his nose.

"Daniel! Hey, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" Not waiting for a reply, Jody introduced Stephen and Blair to Doctor Daniel Jackson. "Dan's working with Doc Pritchard on the decipher to some petroglyphs we found up top."

Stephen shook the shaggy-haired man's outstretched hand. "Doctor, huh?"

Daniel shrugged. "Archeology and I'm finishing my dissertation in linguistics."

Jody gestured between the friends, "I hope you don't mind, but we came to stay the night at the portable and do a little poking around tomorrow."

A brief flash of relief crossed the archeologist's face and he tucked his hands in his pockets. "Um, no, actually I'd enjoy the company."

"Excellent! Blair let's get a bonfire going before it's too dark."

"Uh, Jo, I was kind of hoping you might show me where you found the skeleton."

"Dude, it'll wait 'til tomorrow. Come on," Jody urged impatiently, giving Blair's coat a firm tug.

"I can show him," Daniel interjected. "It's right near where I was working, and I need to go back and grab my gear anyways."

Blair turned his best pleading eyes towards his two friends.

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Stephen grumbled. "Jody, let's go unload the Jeep and get the fire started." Turning to Blair, he did his best not to smile at the triumphant grin aimed his way. "Don't get lost, kid."

"I won't, Dad," Blair tossed back over his shoulder, already following the archeologist across the rocks. He didn't miss hearing Stephen mumble, "And, stay out of trouble."

oOo

Blair made the half-mile trek across the desert rock in silence, absorbing every word Doctor Jackson told him about the history of the area. How Ice Age hunters had tracked now extinct mammoths, horses and camels thousands of years ago. How the Paiutes, Mohave, and Pueblo peoples each survived in totally separate communities, maintaining distinct lifestyles.

The Pueblo's distant cousins, the Anasazi, interested the young archeologist the most. The mystery of the village abandonment around 1150 A.D. intrigued him enough to leave his current studies in the east to join Dr. Pritchard's team.

Climbing over a few large rocks, they stopped beside an area marked off with string.

"I believe this is what you came to see," Daniel said, pointing to a section of the site under excavation.

Blair cautiously stepped over the string and kneeled for a closer look in the rapidly fading light. Almost reverently, he ran his hand over the ground that could possibly be holding the remains of an ancient watchman. Tightness in his chest reminded him that he needed to breathe.

The doctor's soft voice broke the moment. "I know how you feel."

Blair looked up, noticing that Daniel had removed his glasses and was staring at him. "What?"

Shifting on his feet, the young scientist appeared totally at ease in his surroundings. "I said I know how you feel, to find a piece of your puzzle."

Blair looked back to the ground, carefully scooping up some loose dirt and sifting it between his fingers. "I'd only ever read about them in books. Can't tell you how many times I've heard people tell me that I'm looking for a ghost."

Daniel nodded; he too understood going on a journey others couldn't understand. "I'm going to get my gear, Blair. I'll be right back."

Closing his eyes, Blair listened to the retreating footsteps until they were gone. Surrounded by warmth of the setting sun and a gentle breeze from the mountains, he let his mind relax and absorb his surroundings.

"This is not your Sentinel, young one," a rich voice spoke from out of nowhere. "Soon, yours will need you, but for now you must find your own path."

Blair's eyes popped open as his heart hammered in his chest. Rising quickly to his feet, he searched for the speaker. Spying Daniel walking towards him, he took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Did you hear that?"

Daniel looked around not quite sure what he was supposed to have heard. "What?"

"Someone talking."

"Nooooo. What did they say?"

"I thought," Blair started, and then suddenly feeling very awkward, stopped. "Guess not." Shaking his head at his own wishful imagination, he stepped away from the site and followed Daniel back down the trail to the others.

oOo

Christmas Eve passed without incident. The group sat around the fire sharing stories, singing carols off-key with made up verses, and cooking marshmallows. The cold night air prompted Blair and Jody to retrieve their sleeping bags and use them as wraps to keep warm. Eventually, the combined factors of the trip and camaraderie lulled the young men to sleep under the stars.

Stephen and Daniel remained awake, watching the passing constellations in the clear night sky. Neither ready to submit to lonely dreams, they talked for hours until they ran out of things to say. Finally, when the fire began to die and the men could no longer keep their eyes open, they roused the two younger members and headed to the trailer.

Stephen was the first to rise the following morning and started a pot of coffee. No matter how old he got, he always awoke early on Christmas in giddy anticipation of what delights the day would bring. This year would be different with no tree and trimmings, no gifts piled underneath, and no family to share the day with. Looking at the three sleeping figures, he realized that his new friends had become his gifts this year. Silently removing three packages from his duffel, he placed one by each person; grateful that he had gotten Blair two, so that now he even had one to give to the newest member of their group. Smiling, he sat back and enjoyed a rich cup of coffee as he waited for the others to get up.

The newest member to the group was the next to become conscious, reaching blindly about in search of his glasses. Slipping them on, he was surprised to see a wrapped package beside his pillow. Stephen merely shrugged as Daniel shot the man a questioning glance. Gratefully accepting an offered cup of coffee, he grinned as he pulled his secret stash of chocolate-covered donuts from a cupboard, and shared his treat.

Jody and Blair eventually stirred when Stephen banged a spoon against a pot, tired of waiting for them to wake up on their own. Good-natured grumbling about old people waking the young up at the crack of dawn didn't get far when the senior threatened to dump the pot of coffee down the sink.

Finally filled with enough caffeine and sugar to keep even the quietest person active, the robust group sat around the table shaking their packages. Each guessing wild ideas of what lay beneath the neatly wrapped paper.

Jody, not able to hold back from tearing into his present any longer, was the first to shred the wrapping and hold up a deluxe set of small handheld excavating tools. Passing his gift over to Blair and Daniel for inspection, the three scientists marveled together at the precision of each piece.

With urging from the others, Daniel shyly opened his unexpected gift and discovered a beautifully tooled leather journal. The inscription inside, which Stephen had actually written for Blair now somehow felt right for the new friend, read: 'May life's journeys take you as far as your dreams can reach.' Looking up to meet the gift giver's eyes, Daniel was speechless and could only nod his thanks.

The youngest member held his gaily-wrapped box, still trying to figure out what Stephen could possibly have gotten him.

"Sandburg, just open it," Jody egged on, ready to go and try out his gift.

Pulling off the paper and tossing the box onto the floor, Blair held up an exquisitely- made backpack. Running his hand over the soft worked leather, his fingers traced the imprint of a howling wolf on the front flap. "Stephen, this is beautiful. Thank you," he murmured.

"You're welcome, Blair. Look inside the front pocket; Dad put something in there for you."

Removing an envelope addressed to Mr. Blair Sandburg, he opened a single page on the Rainier letterhead. Meeting Stephen's gaze in shock, he shook his head, "It's too much."

Jody reached over and grabbed the letter, "Nice, Blair, a full undergrad scholarship."

Stephen smiled, "It was Dad's idea."

"Okay, now I know he can adopt me!" Blair burst out as he hugged his friend. Feeling Stephen back away, he grabbed his arm, "Wait, I've got something for you, too." He took a package wrapped in paper and twine from his duffel, "Merry Christmas, roomie."

Inside was a polished wooden box with a framed photo of Stephen and Jim underneath the glass lid. Opening the cover, he discovered a matchbox truck, a US Army Ranger shoulder patch, and a worn baseball, all memorabilia that was either his or Jim's. He didn't know what to say. Looking up, he found the others quietly watching him. It was the flicker of doubt that passed over Blair's features, before being quickly hidden, that prompted him to speak. "I really miss him, and if he is gone, I guess all I have are special memories left." Running his hands over the glass lid and staring into the smiling blue eyes of his missing sibling, he smiled back at Blair. "The box is beautiful. Thank you."

oOo

For the next three days, they worked tirelessly over the site. Stephen's enthusiasm waned when little of interest was discovered sifting through dirt. Eventually he began to run errands just for something to do. When he disappeared for more than an hour on the third afternoon, the others became concerned and began a search, only to find him happily fishing along the lakeshore with a makeshift pole created from items out of their supplies.

It was decided, then, that he would head back into the city for fresh supplies and pick up Tony at the airport. Depending on what the newest member of the group wanted to do that evening, they would come back to the dig the following morning.

Blair and Jody decided to take a break from the dig and go exploring. Offering Daniel the opportunity to join them for a few hours to search some old mines, they both were inwardly pleased when he declined, insisting that he wanted to continue what he was working on. Making plans with the archeologist to regroup after dinner, they grabbed their packs and headed out as soon as the dust from Stephen's departing Jeep settled.

**TBC...**

A/N: The boys exciting adventure will be completed in Part 2. It should be posted by the end of the week max once updates are finished. ;D


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

Jody broke the companionable silence first after they stopped to survey the rocks and hills from along one of the cliff walls. "So, you going to tell me what's going on?"

Completely lost in thought, Blair didn't even hear his friend speaking and was surprised when he walked flat into the other teens back. "Why'd you stop?"

"I asked you if you were going to tell me what's going on. Why you are living in a frat house? What's with this Stephen guy? Did something happen? You are way too quiet. Man, I can remember chasing you with duct tape, threatening you to shut up or else."

Blair smirked. "You never did catch me."

Jody countered with a successful swat to the arm, "Just for the record, I let you get away. Stop trying to change the subject. We've been at the dig of your dreams for the past three days and you've barely said 'boo'. Do you even want to be here?"

Unhooking his pack, Blair let it drop to the ground before he climbed up and sat on a boulder facing out over the lake. Once Jody dropped to sit beside him, he opened his mouth, trying to put into words what was raging through his mind. "Do you know what your path is?"

"My path? Sure, I'm the next Indiana Jones. Humble, yet sexy."

"No, be serious. I need to find my path."

"You've been on your path since you were six. You've always known what you wanted and have gone after it. The Sentinel thing drives you. Isn't that why you're in college, to find the missing watchman?"

Dark blue eyes studied deep into the piercing brown that returned his gaze. "I heard a voice." When Jody didn't even blink, but merely waited, he continued, "It told me to find my own path."

"When?"

"When, what?"

"When did you hear the voice?"

"When we first got here, the night Daniel took me to the burial site."

"And?"

"The voice said this Sentinel wasn't mine, but that mine would need me soon. That I was first to find my own path."

"Anything else?"

Blair shook his head 'no'. "You believe me?"

"Do you believe that you heard this voice?" When Blair nodded, Jody smiled. "Then, yeah, I believe you."

"Just like that? You don't think I was smoking some peyote or anything?"

Jody snorted and shook his head. "Remember when Mrs. Blinko made me be your room buddy after you got bumped up into my class and I told her 'no'?" Not waiting to hear Blair's response, he continued, "She pulled me aside and gave me some story that you needed someone who could show you around and be a friend. When I looked at you, I saw something in your eyes that didn't show fear, but eager anticipation as you waited to see what was going to happen. I knew, Blair, at that moment, you were meant to be my friend. Mom told me once that we were the youngest soul mates she'd ever seen. So, yeah, I believe you."

"Thanks, man." Staring out over the sparkling lake, Blair took a deep breath, "It's kind of weird."

"What's that? The fact that you are hearing voices in the middle of the desert at an ancient burial site?"

"No. Yes. No. I don't know."

"Well, I think you covered all the bases on that one. So, what now?"

"It's weird-"

"You already said that."

"Well, if you'd let me finish. What I was going to say is that I don't have a burning urge to work the dig. Ever since I heard the voice, I feel like I should be looking for something else."

"Blair, this is what you wanted, right?"

"Yeah, but now knowing there's a live one out there somewhere, I feel like I need to get going."

"Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know."

"Are you going to stay?"

"Yes. I need to learn all I can from the site and I, I don't know, I want to be there, but I also feel like I need to get going."

"Then let's go!" Jody stood up and dusted off the back of his jeans before pulling Blair to his feet. "Now that that's out of the way, tell me what's going on while we hike to the old silver mine."

"Mine? Ah, come on Jo, it'll be dark in there, and cold and wet. Let's go check out the bluffs on the east ridge."

"Mine."

"Bluffs."

"I'm older and I say the mine." Grabbing onto Blair's heavy denim jacket, Jody laughed and tugged hard to get his friend heading in the direction of the hills.

"Think there'll be bats this time of year?"

"No, they hibernate in the winter. Man, you have been gone too long."

"Yeah, but this isn't snow, it's the desert."

The teasing continued as they hiked. When a second bought of silence once again brought Jody to a halt, Blair reluctantly divulged what happened his first month at Rainier.

oOo

They sat side by side on a large rock overlooking the hillside. "I wish I could have been there for you."

"It's okay. Not like I was alone."

"I know. Don't get me wrong or anything, I'm grateful to Stephen and the guys for watching out for you, but… I guess I still worry about my little brother."

"I've processed and moved on. I'm on my," finger quote, "path." That earned him a shove off the rock.

"Speaking of moving on," Jody hauled Blair back to his feet and soon they were walking the trail again.

Stretching out his arms high and wide, Jody grinned at Blair, "So this big guy…"

"Tony."

"Tony. He'll come with Steve?"

"Uh-huh."

"Cool." Jody stopped to pull back a patch of dried scrub grass and some tumbleweed to reveal a long dormant mine entrance. Gesturing inside, he raised his brows, "Shall we?"

"It's not too late to hit the bluffs." The look Blair received let him know that wasn't an option. "How do you even know this place is safe?"

"In class, when we were studying the maps of the site, we found several old mines listed on the survey. One afternoon, Doc Pritchard and a few of us guys decided to take an afternoon off and do a little exploring. We hadn't made it to this one yet."

"That didn't answer my question," Blair grumbled.

Jody stepped into the entrance and with a wave of his flashlight beckoned his friend to follow. "Come on, Blair, just for a quick peek. It's not boarded over and there's no sign warning 'keep out', so I think it should be okay."

Blair checked his watch and noted that they had a couple hours before dusk. "Okay, on one condition."

"Anything."

"Mark the entrance so that the search team can find us."

"Oh for crying out loud, Blair, nothing's going to happen." Pulling a thick piece of chalk from his coat pocket, Jody put their names over the entrance. With a final flourish, he encased them with a big heart shape. "Happy?"

"You know, you're not funny."

"Yes, I am." Jody disappeared inside the tunnel. "Get in here and check this out!"

Stepping into the darkness, it took Blair a moment to adjust before he was able to spot a flashlight beam deeper ahead. The noticeable absence of debris and relatively safe looking shoring timbers eased his discomfort so he followed.

oOo

They searched the main tunnel and several branches for over an hour, only to find the mine empty of treasures and not a spec of silver to be seen anywhere. By then, Blair had to admit that although they were empty handed, he was having fun. And Jody was meticulous about writing on the walls so that they would always be able to find their way back out of the underground maze. When the two teens noticed an echo developing, they discovered with excitement that they had entered a huge underground cavern enveloping a small lake.

"Oh, man, check that out." Jody's flashlight reflected far across the dark water.

The thud of Blair's pack hitting the ground quickly followed. "What do you say we leave these here and just walk a little around the side before we head back out?"

"Sounds like a plan." His pack beside Blair's, Jody took the lead, climbing over and along the rocks that lined the dark water. "Hello!" He yelled, then waited for the accompanying echo. (Hello, hello, hello…) "This is just too cool. Yell something."

"Jody!" Blair shouted. (Jody, Jody, Jody…)

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Moron!" (moron, moron, moron…)

"Idiot!" (Idiot, idiot, idiot…)

"You slay me, Jo." Blair gave his friend a small push to get him moving again. "You know, is it me or does it not seem as dark in here?"

Jody gripped Blair's arm as he pulled him onto the next rock. "It's still dark. I think our lights are reflected by the water." Stopping, he turned and shined his light in Blair's face, "Did you spit on me?"

"What?"

Jody reached up and touched the top of his head, pulling back his hand to examine his fingers. They were wet. When another plop fell on his head and he knew Blair didn't do it, he turned his flashlight upwards along the wall and discovered a thin steady stream descending into the lake. Panning his light towards the top of the cavern, they saw large stalactites hanging like giant teeth.

"Wow," they murmured in awe simultaneously.

In search of a better view, Jody climbed up on a small boulder then quickly glanced down when the stone moved beneath his feet. "Blair!" he shouted as he lost his balance.

Blair caught Jody by the wrist and tugged him hard away from the edge but it was too late. Years of water dripping over the rocks had eroded all sediment that would have held them in place, and once that one boulder coming loose it started a chain reaction. Soon a large expanse of the wall began to break free and tumbled in a rush down into the water.

Stone, dirt and debris thundered down on the teens as they tried to make their way back to safety. Fate had other plans when a large rock collided against Jody's legs, shoving him into the frigid water, while another struck Blair's right shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

"Jody!" Blair screamed as he lost sight of his friend; his call drowned out by the roar of the slide echoing throughout the cavern. Carefully crawling to the water's edge, he searched the depths for his friend. The water was murky, filled with loose debris but he was able to make out the glow of a flashlight moving beneath the surface. "Oh God, oh God, Oh God," he chanted as he stripped off his jacket and boots and plunged into the depths.

The submersion into ice-cold water made his head and chest ache. Pulling short strokes towards the light he reached his friend, finding one of Jody's legs pinned beneath a large stone. Jody was jerking, desperately trying to get free. Tapping his friend on the shoulder, Blair motioned for him to stop struggling while he tried to find a way to set his friend free.

He was able to feel slight movement when he tugged on the stone. If he were able to position himself in a way to somehow create leverage he could most likely roll the rock off. Jody's insistent tapping on his back with the flashlight had him turn around to check on his friend and was shocked to see sheer terror and desperation in the young man's eyes. Jody was out of air! Grabbing his friend's head, he shared what little breath he had left and then signaled that he'd be right back. Surfacing quickly, he returned seconds later to share and Jody's panic decreased.

Once again, Blair positioned himself next to the rock, pulled with all his might, felt it shift, and then roll away. Catching hold of Jody's jacket, he dragged him to the surface where they both gasped for air before collapsing along the water's edge.

For a long moment neither spoke. And it wasn't until Jody tapped Blair with the flashlight again that Blair opened his eyes.

"Thank you," his friend wheezed.

"Anytime," Blair whispered back. Using what little strength he had left, he hauled himself up to his hands and knees, stopping abruptly at a stabbing pain erupting in his shoulder where the rock hit him earlier. Getting Jody free had caused even more damage and now his entire arm and hand throbbed unmercifully. Gritting his teeth, he placed his hands beneath Jody's armpits and pulled him the rest of the way out of the water. "We need to get warm. Do you think you can make it back to where we left the packs?" he asked, as he pulled his coat and boots back on.

"I'll try." Placing his arm over Blair's good shoulder, he struggled to right himself and leaned heavily on the smaller youth for support.

Both were exhausted by the time they made their way back. Blair could feel Jody shivering and knew by the way his friend wasn't putting any weight on the leg that had been trapped, that something was very wrong. Heat and dry clothing were priority if they were going to stave off joint bouts of hypothermia. Catching sight of their abandoned gear, they dropped wearily on the ground.

Huddled in a ball, his leg clutched tightly, Jody nodded to his pack. "Blair, I've got a few flares. They can burn for 20 minutes and we can save the batteries in the lights."

Blair yanked it open, pulled out a dry shirt and rolled socks as well as three road flares "Here, change your shirt," he urged before carefully tugging his own over his head. He then rummaged a little deeper in the packs in search of the small first aid kits, tore open a couple packets of Tylenol, handed Jody two, and then took two himself.

Next, he struck one of the flares. The burning light seemed like a sunburst forcing him to look away.

"How're you doing, Jo?"

Flat on his back, his eyes pressed shut, the older teen didn't answer right away. "I understand now," he eventually groaned.

"What's that?"

Jody's tired eyes turned to meet Blair's. "Why you hate cold and wet."

Blair laughed. "You know, I tell people it sucks and they just don't believe me until they've experienced it themselves."

Rocking his head, Jody chuckled but stopped when a bout of coughing stole his breath. "I feel like shit," he moaned.

Blair placed one of the dry packs beneath Jody's head and then draped his mostly dry coat over his friend. "You rest while I go try to find something for a fire."

A small nod was his only answer.

With flashlight in hand, Blair made his way back to the tunnel in search of some old pieces of shoring timber to use for a fire. It took longer than he'd planned to collect even a small armload before he returned to Jody's side, grateful to see the flare still burning.

He needed to search his jacket pockets for matches and had to smile when Jody asked if he was trying to get fresh. "Not this time," he snarked back then held out the box of wooden matchsticks. "Ready to be dry?"

"Oh, yeah."

The old wood caught quickly and in no time the blaze of a warm fire encompassed the shivering teenagers.

"This is kind of like camping at night," Jody commented, stifling a groan while shifting closer to the heat.

"You know Jo; we've never had good luck at camping."

"Ain't that the truth."

"Jo?"

"Hmm."

"I need to look at your leg."

Heavy lids opened as Jody eyed Blair and then nodded. "Look, but don't touch."

Blair chewed his lower lip, "Sorry, man, can't keep that promise." Slipping his pocketknife beneath Jody's pant leg, he slit the denim up to the thigh and peeled back the wet fabric. His own lip tightly clenched between his front teeth, he gently ran his hand over and under the bruised and swollen leg, then grimaced in sympathy when Jody yelped in pain. "Sorry. Jo, you need a doctor, 'cause I don't know what's wrong. Nothing feels broken, but maybe you have a fracture or tore some muscles."

Jody grunted as Blair tied a makeshift splint around his wounded leg. "We've got to get out of here."

Blair nodded and turned while letting out a deep sigh, shining his flashlight back towards the tunnel.

"Blair," his friend called quietly.

Glancing back, he was surprised to see Jody struggling to sit up. "What? What's wrong?"

"Bleeding."

Blair tried to examine his injured friend again but not finding anything. "No you aren't."

Jody shook his head in frustration, his own shaking hand reaching to Blair's shoulder. "Your back, bro'."

It was impossible trying to look over his shoulder and Blair shook his head. "No, I'm just still wet from our swim. My hair's still dripping."

Jody groaned as he made his way up to one elbow and reached out to grab the back of Blair's shirt, "Your right shoulder."

Blair pulled on it first to see what Jody was looking at, then spying a dark patch below his shoulder blade. "That's nothing. I got scraped by a rock when the slide hit."

"Let me see."

"No, I got it. You need to lie down and save your strength."

"Damn it, Blair, I'm too tired for this bullshit. Let me see your shoulder," Jody demanded.

Turning his back towards his friend, Blair lifted his shirt, exposing a jagged wound where the rock had hit.

"You should have told me," Jody gasped, sitting up. "Hand me some gauze pads and tape."

Blair silently passed the items behind him, biting his cheeks to stop from crying out when the tape pressed against injured muscles. When the movement stopped, he tugged his shirt back down and turned around.

Dark brown eyes were studying him closely, "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, just my shoulder."

Jody didn't look convinced and pulled Blair's coat off his chest, pushing it over, "You need this."

"No, you're in shock and need to stay warm. You keep it."

"I have my coat. How do you suppose I wear two? Plus, its winter, and even the desert gets cold at night."

Blair stayed silent knowing Jody was right. Carefully drawing the coat over his injured arm and shoulder, he buttoned the front tight and slipped his pack over his back, before he helped Jody get to his feet. "Okay, ready or not, it's time for us to get out of here.

oOoOo

When Stephen received the urgent call from Daniel saying that the two teens didn't return by dinner and he was getting concerned, Stephen and Tony quickly left the house and headed back towards the dig. It had taken them close to an hour to get there and one agitated pacing archeologist greeted them. Quickly the trio pulled on packs loaded with gear and went in search of their missing friends.

"What time did they leave?" Stephen asked as they trudged up another rocky hill.

"Not long after you did," Daniel replied. "They asked me to go with them but I was busy and passed. Now, I wish I had."

A look at the sun disappearing over the mountaintop, Stephen tried to come up with a reason as to why they might be late. "After hearing a handful of their stories, maybe they just lost track of time and are already on their way back."

Piercing blue eyes turned to meet his gaze, "Is that why you came rushing back from Vegas?"

"No, to be honest I had a feeling those two were bound to end up in trouble. I was just hoping I wasn't right."

"Hey," Tony interjected, "we know how smart Burg is, let's give them the benefit of the doubt."

"Daniel, how far to the mines?"

"Not that far actually. A little over a mile. The problem is, there's about a half a dozen of them spread out over another mile. The trick is going to be finding the right one."

Shifting his pack, Stephen nodded, "Okay then. Let's start at the first one and keep going until we find them."

oOo

The old tunnels seemed to go on forever and Blair was beginning to think that even with Jody's marks on the walls, they would never find their way out. To make matters worse, he could barely keep his eyes open he was so tired. His shoulder and arm ached from supporting Jody and he didn't know how much longer he or his friend could go on.

Jody had grown increasingly quiet, his energy focused entirely on staying on his feet. Clenched eyes and beads of perspiration dotted his forehead; the only signs that he was in excruciating pain. Finally, giving into exhaustion, he slid sideways, falling limply to the floor, as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Blair stumbled losing the counterbalance of Jody's weight, and fell beside his friend. Burning pain flared across his shoulder as he crashed against the rock wall and he found himself holding his breath until it passed. "Aaargh!" he cried out when a second muscle tightening spasm ripped across his back.

His head lying in the dirt, eyes scrunched tightly shut, he tried to control his breathing and ease the contraction. He was so damn cold and it would be so easy to let the darkness have him. If he could only sleep for a minute and then go get help, Jody would understand.

No, he berated himself. Using what little strength he had left, he dragged himself to his feet, panting heavily as he dropped the canvas pack and peeled off his coat to drape over his still friend. Next, he scoured the tunnel and located a few more pieces of dry timber to make a small fire. Placing the few remaining pieces of wood beside Jody, as well as one of the flashlights and a canteen of water, he reluctantly pulled himself to his feet. It was time to go for help.

With one final glance back, he firmly gripped the light and searched for the next marking. '4A' practically leapt off the walls with a single arrow on the top pointing to the right and a double arrow on the bottom pointing left. He could hear Jody's voice echoing in his head, explaining his own system of leaving a trail that he'd modified from boating on the Lake Meade; (red) right returning, (green) left going. He needed to go right and he would find the entrance. Picking up the pace with renewed vigor, he staggered ahead in search of the next arrow.

oOo

Although it felt as though it had taken forever, Blair eventually found himself standing in the outside and he'd never been happier to see a clear night with a full moon on the rise. Picking his way carefully down to the desert floor, he had to work his way over large boulders and around prickly cacti, only stopping for a breather when his legs were twitching so badly that he could no longer lift them.

Another mile and he should be able to find Daniel. Please, oh please, he pleaded to whomever or whatever might be listening, let the archeologist still be at the site. His eyes slid shut on their own accord when he slumped back against a large rock, while pain and exhaustion washed over him like a weighted blanket. If he could only sleep.

"He needs you," his weary brain reminded him.

"Who?" Blair mumbled aloud as he tried to remember, pushing the dark fog away in his mind.

A vision of Jody back in the tunnels became clear. His best friend needed him, but so did someone else. The voice back at the burial site had said someone else would also soon need him.

Opening his eyes, he willed himself to get up and start walking, coaxing his drained body to follow through with each step. Soon he fell into a rhythm that carried him back with a stout determination. They needed him.

oOo

"BLAIR."

"JODY."

The teen stopped and listened. Was someone calling him or was he hearing voices?

"BLAIR."

"JODY."

There it was again. Someone was calling for them. "Over here," he tried to shout back but nothing more than a hoarse barking cough erupted. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward and gasped as his vision grayed.

"Blair, Jody," the voices called again, this time sounding further away.

Oh, god, he couldn't let them leave. Hastily struggling to drop his pack, he fumbled for the remaining road flare and struck the cap. A shower of bright red sparks once again lit up the darkness and he waved it precariously above his head. Please let them see it, he begged silently.

"BLAIR. JODY." The voices shouted again, now getting closer, "WE'RE COMING! HOLD ON!"

The sound of running feet and people yelling encouragement washed over Blair. Unable to stand any longer he sank to his knees and dropped the flare before he burned himself.

When a hand touched his left shoulder, he jerked, not realizing that he had fallen asleep on his knees. Opening his eyes, he blinked several times, recognizing Daniel and his two housemates all crouched around him, asking him questions.

"Jody," he mumbled and tried to point back to the mine.

Stephen gently took Blair's filthy face in his hands, "Blair, where's Jody?"

Glazed dark eyes blinked back at him before Blair slowly lifted his left hand and pointed back from where he'd come. "Silver mine," he groaned, before another wave of agony speared across his back and left him breathless.

"I think I know where they went," Daniel said, looking back in the right direction. "It's about a half mile from here."

Stephen followed Daniel's gaze before turning back to his young friend. "Blair, is Jody hurt?"

"L-l-leg," he stuttered. Utterly exhausted, he was so close to getting help for Jody that he unconsciously relaxed and his mind began to shut down on its own, "Cold."

Tony pulled off his parka and handed it to Stephen. "He's turning blue, Ell. Use this to get him warm."

Blair yelped when Stephen wrapped the jacket about him, inadvertently touching his wounded shoulder. Shaking his head, he tried to pull the warm coat off. "Jody, cold," he whispered, tears of frustration forming on his dusty eyelashes.

"Okay, take it easy, Blair. I understand," Stephen said softly. Turning to Tony and Daniel, he nodded at Blair while he removed his phone from his pocket, "I'll take care of him and call for help. You guys go find Jody."

Blair's feeble hand waving made them stop.

"What do you need, Blair?" Tony asked, stooping down beside the agitated young man.

"Daniel," he mumbled, looking for the archeologist.

Daniel and Tony swapped positions. Blair swallowed, trying to find the words to explain what he needed to tell him. "Code on the wall," he whispered. "Right return, left go. 4A."

Serious eyes studied the teen before nodding, "Thanks, Blair. We'll find him for you, don't worry."

Blair could only nod and collapsed back against Stephen, no longer careful of his arm. This time when his worn body pulled his heavy lids closed, he didn't resist.

Stephen sat on the cold hard ground with Blair's silent form resting against him, feeling the youths trembling muscles twitch beneath his grip. On the phone, the sheriff's Search and Rescue team estimated that it would take them at least 20 minutes to get to the site, and requested that the college senior check Blair for injuries and keep him warm.

Shifting Blair, Stephen slid Tony's jacket open, enabling him to check for injuries. Finding the dried blood on the back of Blair's shirt, he used his pocketknife to cut a slit and then tore the material free. The blood soaked gauze pads were still damp so he used water from the canteen to clean the area and apply fresh pads. The red jagged wound below the shoulder looked sickening and he could feel heat emanating off Blair's back.

"Come on! Come on!" he shouted into the darkness, not ready to lose another special person he cared for. The comforting whump-whump sound of an approaching helicopter filled the night and soon the beam of a bright search light scoured the ground, coming to rest on the pair.

Stephen watched the aircraft set down and figures in jumpsuits piled out of the doors, their arms laden with boxes of equipment. Moments later, a second helicopter arrived carrying more searchers.

Pointing back towards the darkened hill, he filled them in on the rest of his group while two medics carefully worked over Blair. A second pair of rescuers headed off in the direction of Jody.

oOo

Daniel led Tony silently through the night towards nearest mine. Losing his footing for a moment on loose gravel, his yelp ended quickly when he found himself caught under the arms and set back on his feet by Tony.

"Careful, Doc."

"Thanks," he mumbled, once again on track. "We should be almost there." Shining his light over the hills, he picked up an opening and turned to grin at Tony when they both saw the names encased in the heart.

"Burg has some explaining to do," the larger man chuckled while pulling a few stray tumbleweeds out of the entrance.

"Jody!" Daniel called into the dark tunnel. Running his light over the sides, he spotted markings further down the shaft as the men located the first marker. "Blair said '4A', so he can't be too far in."

It was strange running through the darkened passageway, but the glow of burning embers suddenly became visible when they rounded a bend in the hillside. There, lying on the cold floor was Jody.

"Thank God," Tony said quietly over the young man he'd never met.

"He's breathing," Daniel confirmed, after a quick check, "but, he's really burning up. We need to get him out of here, now. Do you think you can carry him?"

"Not a problem." The gentle giant lifted Jody like the boy was made out of crystal. Carefully maneuvering his way back out of the tunnel, Tony followed Daniel quickly down the hillside, now clearly lit by the full moon overhead.

Two figures with searchlights raced up the hill to meet them.

oOo

Warm and dry, so tired he didn't think he could move, and generally pain free, Blair heard a familiar steady beep from somewhere nearby and turned his aching head to identify the sound.

"Hey," a muffled voice called to him softly, "you working on Tony's record again?"

"Steve?" the young man whispered without opening his eyes.

"Yeah, Blair. I'm here."

"Whu' hapn'd?"

"You got hurt in the mine but we found you. You're going to be okay, alright?"

Flashes of memories that made little sense sifted through his thoughts but before he could ask a dry cough broke free from his throat. "Water?" he croaked. A straw touched his lips and he reveled in the cool relief that quenched his thirst. Slightly more coherent, he suddenly realized who was missing. "Steve?" he whispered again.

A cool hand brushed across his brow. "Shhh, Blair, go back to sleep."

"Jo," he mumbled, determined not to go back to sleep until he found out about his friend.

"He's right beside you, sleeping. Next time you wake up, I'll tell you what happened, okay?" Stephen said softly.

"'Kay."

Stephen sat back in his chair between the two beds and watched as both young men slept. It had been a long night for all of them. Blair's blood loss and Jody's near drowning taxed the boy's reserves even further. The next twenty-four hours would tell how soon they would recover.

oOoOo

New Year's Eve found all five young men resting comfortably back in the large house rented by William Ellison. Recently released from the hospital earlier in the day with strict orders to be followed, Jody and Blair were propped up with pillows and blankets, forbidden from doing anything but rest.

Blair discovered, to his delight, that while they were recuperating in the hospital, Stephen had called Mrs. Applegate, asking her to notify William, Naomi, and Jody's mother of what had happened. After she had done so, she immediately flew down to take care of all five of 'her boys', much to Jody and Daniel's surprise. Mouth-watering aromas of practically every food they could imagine wafted from behind the kitchen doors as she bustled about stating her firm belief that a lot of TLC was the best cure for her extended family.

Glancing about at each other, Jody was the first one to break the easy silence that had enveloped the group. "So, next week, we head back out to the site?"

"And, just how are you going to climb over all the rocks while on crutches, Limpy?" Blair teased from his spot, his arm tightly bound to his chest.

Jody grinned, "Not a problem. You see, I'll supervise."

"I don't think so," Daniel interrupted. "Someone needs to keep an eye on you two. I'll do the supervising."

"You?" Stephen jumped in. "I've been watching over Blair the most recently. If anyone's to keep an eye on them, it'll be me."

Tony turned and grinned at his friend, "Tell me, Ell, how you gonna supervise when you're fishing?"

Stephen shot a fake glare to Blair who tried to look innocent. "Hey, I only went fishing one time."

"That's not what I heard," the big man challenged.

Soon friendly banter and laughter rang throughout the large room, each finally able to relax after the events of the past few days. They'd made it, old and new friends, now bound together by a life changing experience. When the antique mantle clock chimed midnight, the five men quieted and raised their glasses in a toast.

"To friendship and the New Year," Blair offered with a bright smile.

"Here, here," they replied, their glasses of sparkling grape juice clinking together. "To friendship."

The end.

A/N: I never completed this series. But, while dusting this off and doing a bit or rewriting, I might have come across a plot bunny or two. Perhaps one might happen in the future. We'll have to see. Thanks for the reviews and notes some of you have taken the time to post, they've been greatly appreciated. I still have a few more fics to post so I'll be back soon. J


End file.
